Music Instruments for the youth of Ayacucho
Donation protected
Summary.
Hello, my name is Hans Soolsma, and the only 'gringo' in the picture above is me. I study music therapy in the Netherlands, and I'm doing my internship at Mama Alice (Ayacucho, Peru).
Mama Alice is an NGO that aims to improve the wellbeing of the impoverished people of Ayacucho. As a music therapist, I will be giving psychological aid, through creative means and the universal language called music. As the instruments currently present are quite overdue, I am seeking to collect funds for both new instruments, which can be used in therapy, musical activities and music lessons; and to refurnish the psychology/therapy area at the elementary school at which Mama Alice operates.
What is music therapy?
"Music the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional"
;) But since I guess most would rather want a more layman's terms answer:
A music therapist seeks to improve the wellbeing of it's clients, just like any therapist would. What's different is the toolset they use: music. As for me, I prefer to use active music therapy in which the therapist makes music with the clients involvement. Amongst others, this can be used to improve emotional wellbeing, or social skills.
About Ayacucho & Yanama.
Ayacucho is a city in South Central Peru, in the Andes Mountains. It's the namesake capital of it's province, which is largely rural, and the poorest region of Peru. Although the city is beautiful, and it's surroundings even more so, it's problems are numerous:
- 26% of children suffer from malnutrition, 40% are anemic
- 30% of Ayacuchan young people do not study and have no permanent work
- Thousand of children do not have birth or identity documents
- 48% of the population only completed primary school
- 64% of women in Ayacucho have been victims of sexual violence, 1/3 of which occurred within the family
- 34% of the population does not have access to a health centre
Note: these are figures dating from pre-covid19. As the country that was globally struck the worst by covid, one can only imagine these figures also got worse.
Yanama located on the city outskirts of Ayacucho. It, in turn, is the poorest neighbourhood of Ayacucho. Mama Alice operates here on an elementary school
Where will the money go?
As mentioned above, the money will be used to buy new instruments to give music therapy to the children/clientele of Mama Alice, and to refurnish the psychology/therapy area in the elementary school in Yanama.
~500 euro for a digital piano
~300 euro for 6 charango's, traditional South American instruments.
~150 euro for miscellaneous instruments
~250 euro to redecorate the psychology/therapy area
After my 10 month internship here, all these instruments can of course be used by Mama Alice and the children for many years to come. All further proceeds will be donated to Mama Alice.
If you've come this far.
Thanks a lot for taking the time to read this! If you'd be willing to donate, both myself, Mama Alice, and of course the youth of Ayacucho would be forever thankful.
Further Reading.
Organizer
Hans Soolsma
Organizer
Wageningen